Victory: Council Passes Multi-racial ID Bill

On October 13th, the City Council voted on three bills that would ensure appropriate collection of demographic information – including race, ethnicity and sexual identity data from those who access City services.

Increasing demographic information gathered from voluntary surveys through the Department of Social Services, the Administration for Children’s Services, the Department of Homeless Services, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the Department for the Aging, the Department of Youth and Community Development, Department of Education, and any other agencies designated by the Mayor will provide to persons served by the agency better strategies regarding sexual orientation and gender identification, ethnicity, multiracial ancestry and languages spoken. Using this data, the Mayor’s Office of Operations would then conduct an evaluation of its agencies and providers, so as to better address the needs of residents seeking services.

Introduction 551-A, sponsored by Council Member Margaret Chin, would require the Mayor’s Office of Operations to make publicly available the total number of individuals who have identified multiracial ancestry or ethnic origin, disaggregated with respect to each response option, agency, and program, and would require each agency that provides the survey to evaluate its provision of services in consideration of the data collected and submit a report to the Council on any new or modified services developed based on the data.

WHAT PROGRESSIVE CAUCUS MEMBERS SAY:

“This legislation is not just about boxes we check off when filling out government forms. It’s about recognizing every New Yorker as an integral part of the diversity that makes our City the greatest in the world,” said Council Member Margaret Chin. “By allowing New Yorkers to identify as multi-racial or as members in a specific ethnic group, we are ensuring that everyone is counted and that City services reach people who need them the most. I thank Speaker Mark-Viverito and my partner on this important legislation, Council Member Dromm, for their leadership on behalf of our increasingly diverse City.”